Quality control is an essential operation in aeronautical construction. It makes it possible to check that each element of an aircraft does indeed conform to the technical specifications stipulated by the constructor. In effect the certification of the aircraft depends on the observance of this conformity. The technical specifications can be, depending on the nature of the element, geometrical dimensions with certain tolerances, mechanical or electrical characteristics for example.
Quality control is applied at each step of integration, particularly in the final assembly line (FAL) phase of the aircraft.
FIG. 1 schematically represents steps of a quality control known from the prior art.
The quality control begins with a declaration of an agent. The latter verifies the conformity of the inspected element with the technical specifications stipulated by the constructor and declares, at 110, the nonconformity in the event of disparity. The declaration can comprise measurements, photographs, and a description of any disparities observed. These observations are entered into a report, called concession declaration, or COD. The report contains the identifier of the element concerned, its serial number and the declaration of nonconformity.
The report is then transmitted to the designer, approved by the certification authority, which performs an analysis step, 120, followed by a validation step, 130. The step 120 consists in analysing the consequences resulting from the nonconformity of the element, particularly on the other elements interacting therewith, and, if appropriate, in proposing measures to remedy these consequences.
At this stage, the conclusions of the designer can be as follows:                the element is acceptable despite its nonconformity with the technical specifications;        the element is unacceptable and is therefore scrapped;        the element is acceptable subject to a repair being performed.        
These conclusions are entered into a document of response to the concession request, called COA (Concession Answer). When the repair is performed, the repaired element returns once again to the designer for a second analysis step.
If the element is considered acceptable, despite its initial nonconformity or because the repair is satisfactory, the designer validates the solution retained for it to undergo a test phase.
The test phase also comprises an analysis step, 140, and a validation step, 150, performed by a tester approved by the certification authority. In the analysis phase, the tester applies a test making it possible to check whether the nonconforming or repaired element meets the requisite safety requirements. In the validation phase, the tester confirms or rejects the acceptability of the element, and enters the result of the test in a test report or COS (Concession Stress).
Finally, in the step 160, the above-mentioned reports are signed by a quality control agent who checks that the procedure has been followed correctly.
The quality control procedure as a whole is particularly complex because of the large number of round trips that it can involve between the different agents. In effect, the reports can be drawn up relatively freely so they are often the source of omissions or of divergent interpretations between the agents. For this reason, each agent in practice checks the operations performed in the preceding steps. Furthermore, each omission or proven error entails returning to the step called into question and once again performing all the subsequent steps.
Finally, since the quality control takes place at different stages of construction of the aircraft and at different assembly levels, its complexity is a critical issue in terms of construction costs and delivery time.
The problem on which the disclosure herein is based is consequently to propose a quality control method for the elements of an aircraft which is widely automated, fast and efficient. Another aim of the present disclosure is to propose a quality control system that makes it possible to implement the abovementioned method.